In passing sentence, he considered that the medical report exhibited in court showed that the complainant did not sustain serious injuries and the force used was moderate with no danger to life.

Gwazemba had initially convicted Chikoore last week Friday after he pleaded guilty to the assault charge.

Initially, District Public Prosecutor Gracious Chaminuka initially told the court that Chikoore assaulted Pedzisai Mangisi of Chief Nemangwe area in Gokwe South several times all over the body with a baton on an unknown date sometime in November last year at his mine in Kadoma.

Chaminuka said Chikoore deserved a custodial sentence as he was a potential criminal with previous three cases at the court which were all withdrawn, in 2014 attempted murder case under CRB number 12/06, same year another of impersonation as a cop CRB number 12/08 and in 2016 for allegedly contravening the Mines and Mining Act.

Chikoore’s lawyer, Ignatius Murambasvina of Murambasvina Legal Practice however pleaded with the court to give the convict a non-custodial sentence arguing that he was a first offender and also co-operated well with the police as he handed himself and assisted them locate the complaint.

He also said Chikoore was a breadwinner to his two wives and six children and the complaint did not suffer serious injuries as shown by the medical report exhibited in court.

Murambasvina said his client first handed Mangisi to the police after discovering that he had stolen his 400 grams of gold, but they were ordered to agree on an out of court settlement which infuriated him leading him to assault the complainant.

He said Chikoore had already suffered psychological trauma as the matter had received much attention on social media, local and international media. H-Metro